Bayonetta 3 has a 'safe for work' option, but its inclusion wasn't suggested by Nintendo.
After months of speculation that Bayonetta 3 would be delayed to 2023, PlatinumGames surprised us all with the announcement that the game will be launching later this year on October 28. Along with confirmation of a solid release date came the news that the third instalment in the zany action series will include a mode that keeps the titular witch more covered up when unleashing her powerful attacks.
This has led to speculation that Nintendo requested the inclusion of the nudity-free option dubbed "Naïve Angel Mode". But this seemingly isn't the case. According to the game's creator, Hideki Kamiya, Nintendo didn't ask that PlatinumGames cover up Bayonetta; in fact, they'd previously suggested just the opposite. Kamiya revealed that the company thought the witch's Legend of Zelda-themed attire from the earlier games should have been more risqué.
"I see a lot of people bring up Nintendo when discussing the nudity in Bayonetta, but during our time with the Bayonetta 1 port, Bayonetta 2 and Bayonetta 3, the only suggestion we received was regarding the Link costume in Bayonetta 1 and 2, and how it should have been a little bit more revealing," Kamiya wrote in a tweet translated by Nintendo Everything (via Nintendo Life).
"No bias influenced that aspect of the game, and I think players can enjoy the game without worrying that it may have been...after working with them [Nintendo] for such a long time, I get the impression that although there are times where we may butt heads, they're surprisingly open to direct discussions around development and sales."
As well as being hard at work on Bayonetta 3, PlatinumGames is currently developing two brand-new IPs, an unnamed large-scale project and the mysterious Project G.G., which was revealed over two year ago and hasn't been seen since. With Bayonetta 3's launch still a few months off, you've still got time to play through the first two games if you haven't already done so. Kamiya highly recommends this, saying that you'll enjoy the series' third entry "100 times more" if you've played Bayonetta 1 and 2.
Take a look at our Bayonetta 3 guide for everything we know about Platinum's action-packed sequel.
